The Meaning of Flowers
by yet-i-remain-quiet
Summary: Five times that Oliver gives Felicity flowers. Pre-Olicity
The first time Oliver gave Felicity flowers, it was the day after the Dodger case.

Felicity arrived at Queen Consolidated earlier than usual, walking through the empty halls as she made her way to the IT department. She had had a rough night after parting ways with Oliver and Diggle. She had spent most of the night tossing and turning, her dreams filled with expensive jewels and bomb collars. She had finally given up on sleep around 5:00 AM, making the decision that her time would be better spent getting a head start on her work for the day.

The office was quiet as Felicity made her way to her desk, hoping to lose herself in the codes, anything to take her mind off of the events of the night before. She went straight to work, working on strengthening the company's firewall. She focused on the binary code on the screen and let the rest of the world melt away.

A knock on the door broke her concentration.

"Felicity?" it was April, one of the other IT specialists. "We still on for lunch?"

Felicity looked at the clock in surprise. It was already 12:30.

"Yes," Felicity agreed, standing to grab her things."

"How was your night?" April questioned casually.

Felicity swallowed, unsure of how to answer. There was no way she would be able to explain to her friend that her night had included being at a charity gala and having a bomb collar strapped around her neck.

"Boring," she answered after a few moments of silence. "Just a quiet night at home."

The two women continued their conversations throughout lunch, until it was time and they had to return to their offices for the afternooon.

Felicity walked to her desk, prepared to once again, distract herself with computers. But she stopped when she noticed a small bouquet of daisies sitting on her desk. She carefully picked the jar up, inspecting them.

A small square paper fluttered down to the desk. She picked it up and read it.

 _You were really brave last night._

 _I'm sorry you had to be._

 _-O._

 _Oliver._ She thought, feeling confused. Oliver had sent her flowers? Oliver didn't seem the type to send a girl flowers. She placed them back on her desk and took a seat in her chair. She stared at the daisies for several minutes.

Shaking her head, she tried to turn her focus back on her computers and her job. But, throughout the rest of the afternoon, Felicity found her attention focusing back on the flowers. Curious as to why Oliver had sent them.

Later that night, when Felicity arrived at the foundry, Oliver and Diggle were already there. The two men were training on the mats. She wanted to ask Oliver what the daisies had meant. But didn't want to ask in front of Diggle.

As the night progressed, Oliver didn't mention the flowers and Felicity didn't ask.

—

The second time Oliver gave Felicity flowers, it was just as surprising as the first.

It was a few days after Helena had forced Felicity to hack the FBI database before leaving her tied up on the floor of her office, waiting for someone to find her.

Today would be the first time that Felicity would be back in her office since the incident. She had been given a few personal days off work after the attack. _To recover from your attack_ the head of the IT department had explained.

Initially, Felicity thought it was silly. She didn't need time off. She had spent the days home, bored, missing her job. It wasn't the first time she had been attacked by a super villain. And, she thought, if she continued working with Oliver and Team Arrow, as she had taken to calling them in her head, it probably wouldn't be the last time.

But now, as she stood in the doorway to her office, she felt frozen. Like an invisible force was keeping her out. Each time she tried to take a step, her heart would begin to race as she recalled the fear she had felt when she had looked up to see Helena, pointing her crossbow at Felicity's chest. She could still feel the ties Helena had used to hold her wrists behind her back. How time seemed to drag on as she waited for someone to find her.

Biting her lip nervously, she scanned her eyes over her desk. Maybe she could take another day, or work from home. She moved to take a step back, to find her supervisor, when a flash of yellow caught her eye.

A yellow jar of flowers sat on the edge of her desk. Inside the jar, were small, white flowers. Their shape was similar to bells.

Felicity cocked her head in confusion and her feet seemed to move without thinking. They carried her through the entryway and closer to her desk.

A small card was propped against the jar. She picked it up and turned it over. The note on the other side read:

 _I'm sorry it took me so long to get to you._

 _Maybe these will help._

 _-O._

 _PS It's not your fault._

 _Oliver._ Felicity thought. More flowers. She looked back at the flowers. She didn't recognize the type. She took a seat in front of her computer. She quickly busied herself with finding out what they were.

Within seconds, she discovered that they were Heather flowers and traditionally, they were thought to provide protection. A small laugh escaped her lips, she shook her head, caught off guard by Oliver's thoughtfulness. He was always surprising her.

She sat on her chair, and set to work, she caught herself, periodically, throughout the day, looking up at the flowers.

Once again, Oliver made no mention of the flowers when she arrived at the lair that night. A few times, Felicity was tempted to thank Oliver for them, but for one of the first times in her life, she found herself unable to find the right words.

—

The third time Oliver gave Felicity flowers was shortly after she and Diggle had brought him back from Lian Yu.

It was the day after she threatened to quit from her new job as his EA. Felicity was still fuming, stomping around the office, making snide comments at every turn. She couldn't believe that he had "promoted" her, without asking her.

She walked into the break room, desperate for a decent cup of coffee. A group of women stood in the corner talking, they grew silent when they noticed Felicity's presence. She rolled her eyes and made a bee line for the coffeemaker, pouring the steaming liquid into her mug. She could hear their quiet whispers.

She had heard the rumours, they were impossible to ignore. How did a nobody from the IT department, end up the CEO's EA? They were sleeping together, secretly dating, she had blackmailed him, pregnant with his baby. It was silly, but she couldn't deny that it bothered her.

It hurt. She had worked so hard, sacrificed so much, to get to where she was. And now, she was the butt of everyone's jokes. The office tramp.

She walked passed the women, eager to leave the room, leave the whispers behind. She found herself, not for the first time, missing her quiet office in the IT department. The quiet room where she could hide and lose herself in the coding and numbers. She couldn't do that in Oliver's glass office, with it's large windows and revolving door of visitors.

Felicity walked quickly to her desk, avoiding eye contact with everyone she passed by. She fell into the seat behind her desk, awkwardly adjusting herself as she tried to get comfortable. She was still trying to get used to the new chair.

Her phone rang.

"Mr. Queen's office, Ms. Smoak speaking," she answered.

"Ms. Smoak? It's Andy at the front desk," the voice on the other end said. "There's a delivery here for you, should I send them up?"

"Okay," Felicity responded, hanging up the phone.

A few minutes later, Felicity heard the bell of the elevator, signalling its arrival.

Felicity looked up to see a young man exit the elevator. He was wearing a delivery uniform and carrying a bouquet of bright pink hydrangeas.

"Felicity Smoak?" the delivery man asked.

Felicity nodded, she found herself unable to speak as she stared at the flowers.

"Sign here," he held a clipboard out to her. Wordlessly, she took it and signed it. He handed her the flowers. "Here you go, have a nice day."

She took the flowers, muttering a thank you. She carried the flowers over to her desk and sat in her chair. She found a card stuck in between the stems. Opening it, she read the message.

 _I'm sorry._

 _-O._

Felicity turned to her computer. Quickly searched the meaning of the flowers.

 _Hydrangea: Gratitude._

She sighed heavily. These flowers were Oliver's way of asking for forgiveness, his way of showing his appreciation for her. And while part of her wanted to forgive him, the echoes of the women's whispers still rang in her ears. She felt a rush of anger course through her body. She stood, shoving her chair back and stormed into Oliver's office, bringing the flowers with her. He looked up as she entered.

Felicity dumped the flowers on his desk. He looked down at them for a few seconds before looking up at Felicity in confusion.

"Do you… do you not like them?" he asked awkwardly.

"Seriously, Oliver?" Felicity fumed. "You can't just give me flowers and expect me to forgive you. It doesn't work like that. This isn't something you can charm your way out of."

Oliver looked up at Felicity as she paced in front of him.

"I know," he admitted in a whisper. "I just… I need you here."

His words caught her off guard. She stopped her pacing and turned to face him.

"I need someone I can trust," Oliver explained. "Someone who knows me, knows my secret. Who can help me."

"I know," Felicity whispered. "I understand. I just… I wish you had asked me."

Oliver sighed in defeat. "I know, I didn't think it would be a big deal. It's not any different than what we did before, you're just in the office next to me instead of 18 floors down."

"Oliver," Felicity groaned. "You hired a boring IT girl to be your EA. The rumours…"

Felicity trailed off, she didn't want Oliver to know about the rumours. He had enough to worry about with his mother and trying to run the company. He didn't need more to worry about her too.

"What rumours?" Oliver asked, a look of concern on his face. "Don't say…"

"Nothing," Felicity interrupted.

"Nothing," Oliver finished. "Felicity, if someone is bothering you can tell me."

A bitter laugh escaped Felicity's lips. "Oliver, you hired a boring IT girl, with no experience, to be your EA. What do you think they're saying?"

A look of understanding crossed Oliver's face. "Felicity, you know… You can't listen," Oliver tried to reassure her. "You know, none of what they're saying is true."

"I know," Felicity cut in. "I shouldn't let it bother me. But Oliver, I worked hard to get to where I was. So to hear people say that I'm sleeping my way to the top. That hurts."

Oliver looked down, a guilty look on his face.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, he looked up at Felicity. "I can move you back to the IT department. If that's what you want."

"I appreciate that Oliver," Felicity replied, she picked the flowers up off his desk, holding them carefully. "But, that would probably just make things worse. But thank you."

Felicity turned and left Oliver's office, not giving him a chance to respond. She sat back down behind her desk. She opened a drawer and took out a mug. She placed the flowers in the mug and sat it down on her desk, before turning her attention back to her computer and her work for the day. She didn't mention the flowers again, and neither did Oliver.

—-

The fourth time Oliver gave Felicity flowers was the morning after she got shot.

Felicity woke up late in the morning, her head pounding and her shoulder burning. Her mind felt foggy as she tried to recall the events of the night before. She groaned painfully as she sat up in her bed.

She looked over at the clock on her bedside table.

11:27.

It was almost noon. Felicity tried to remember the last time she had ever slept that late. Probably not since she was in college. Granted she had taken two of Diggle's "aspirins" before going to bed, that had undoubtably helped. She still felt exhausted, like she could go back to sleep for a few more hours. However, the loud grumble of her stomach, told her that wouldn't happen, not until she ate something.

She pulled her aching body out of bed, stumbling down the hallway, in search of food and the biggest cup of coffee that she could find, knowing she would need the steaming liquid to help clear her foggy mind.

She entered her kitchen, heading straight for her coffeemaker, but was startled when the warm aroma of coffee filled her nose. She squinted her eyes as she looked around, only then realizing that she hadn't put her glasses on before she had left her bedroom.

Felicity blindly made her way to where her coffeemaker sat on the counter, with a steaming pot of coffee waiting for her. She poured herself a large mugful, holding it beneath her nose. She inhaled deeply, letting the heavenly smell fill her senses.

She rested her elbows on the counter, groaning at the dull ache of pain that flared from her shoulder. She took a sip of her coffee, looking around, when something sitting on the table caught her eye. She squinted at the blurry object, silently cursing herself for not grabbing her glasses. She walked over to the table, taking a closer look; it was a small bouquet of flowers. She looked around for a note. She spotted one sitting next to the jar that held the flowers.

 _You are the strongest person I know._

 _I'm sorry you were feeling left out._

 _You'll always be my girl._

 _-O._

 _PS: They're Snapdragons._

Felicity felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment as she recalled her drug induced babbling from the night before. She struggled to remember everything, but she could still feel Oliver's hand, gently cradling her cheek. She could still hear his words, echoing in her mind.

The sound of her phone ringing, broker her out of her thoughts. Felicity followed the sound, finding her phone on the table by her front door.

"Hello?" she answered.

"How are you feeling?" Oliver's voice came from the other end.

"Sore," Felicity admitted, knowing better than to try to lie to Oliver.

"Of course," he replied. "Do you take some more _aspirins_?"

"Not yet," Felicity answered. She gingerly touched her shoulder, inhaling sharply as pain radiated from the bandaged wound. "They weren't aspirins, were they?"

"Felicity?" Oliver called, his voice filled with concern.

"I'm fine," Felicity assured him.

"Fe-lic-ity," Oliver dragged her name out. She tried to ignore the butterflies that settled in her stomach at the sound, reminding herself that he was with Sara.

"I'll take some aspirins," Felicity promised. "Real ones, this time."

"Did you… Did you see the flowers?" Oliver asked hesitantly.

"Yes, they're beautiful. Thank you. And for the coffee," Felicity smiled as she ran the delicate petals between her fingers. "How'd you get into my apartment anyway?"

"I have my ways," Oliver answered mysteriously.

"You picked the lock, didn't you?" Felicity guessed.

"… No?" Oliver tried to deny.

"Just don't let Mrs. Ferandez catch you," Felicity laughed. "She's carries a baseball bat to take out the trash. More of a 'hit first, ask questions later.' You'd probably get along actually."

"I'll be careful," Oliver promised.

"Or, I could just give you a key," Felicity suggested.

"If you'd like," Oliver said lightly.

Felicity sighed heavily, her shoulder throbbed slightly. "I should go take a shower," she muttered. "And get some food."

"I could bring you something," Oliver offered. "It's almost noon. And I should check your stitches. Big Belly Burger?"

Felicity's stomach growled at the thought. "Yes, please," she responded.

"One Big Belly Special coming right up," Oliver said. "See you in a bit."

"I'll leave the door unlocked," Felicity informed him. "So you don't have to break in. Again."

"Okay."

Felicity could hear the sound of Oliver laughing as she ended the call. She lightly ran her fingers over the flowers, as she leaned forward, inhaling their scent, one more time before heading to the bathroom to shower.

—

The fifth time Oliver gave Felicity flowers, he delivered them in person.

It was two months after the team had defeated Slade, leaving him in an ARGUS prison cell on Lian Yu.

Since losing his family's company and fortune, Oliver had been living out of the lair. Both John and Felicity had offered him a place in their homes, but he had declined. He claimed it would be easier if he stayed in the lair. Although the city had been relatively quiet since Slade's capture, Oliver still wanted to keep a close eye on things. Which he found easier to do while he lived out of the lair.

One week before, Felicity had shown up in the lair, two hours after leaving for the night, armed with Big Belly Burger take out and a large file of papers, completely taking Oliver by surprise. She informed him that she would be helping him get his family's company back. Oliver had stared at her in shock, and a small amount of amazement, wondering what he had done to deserve the amazing woman who stood before him.

In the days since, the pair had spent almost every night together, after finishing their usual nighttime activities of defending the city. They would pour over contracts and spreadsheets, trying to find a way for Oliver to get his family's company back. They had been working out of Felicity's house, since she had complained about the dankness of the lair. She had stated that the two of them spent too much time in the club's basement, she needed fresh air. If they were going to be able to work properly, they would need a different space. That space had ended up being Felicity's living room, with easy access to her coffeemaker and her endless supply of take out menus.

On this night in particular, Felicity answered her door at Oliver's knock.

"You know," she said as Oliver entered and she closed the door behind them. "You don't have to knock. You have a key. And I knew you were coming, so it's not like I'd be walking around naked or anything… I mean, I'm not saying that I just walk around naked. Well, sometimes I do. When I'm in the shower or I get distracted when I'm getting dressed. But I knew you were coming so, I wasn't naked…"

"Felicity," Oliver cut off her rambling, a small laugh escaping his lips. "I know, it's just a habit. To knock, I mean. It's polite."

"Right," Felicity agreed, her cheeks were red with embarrassment. "Anyway, should we get started? I've got all the information on financial policies. It's bound to be riveting."

"Sure," Oliver replied. "But, I've got something for you first."

Felicity looked up from the papers to see Oliver holding a bouquet of bright yellow daffodils out towards her. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"For me?" she asked the obvious question.

"Yeah," Oliver muttered, he looked down bashfully at the bouquet, rubbing the fingers of his free hand together at his side. "I saw them on my way over here. They're bright and happy. They reminded me of you."

"Thank you, Oliver," Felicity breathed, stepping forward and carefully taking the flowers out of his hand. She moved around her kitchen as she tried to find a vase to put them in.

As she searched, Oliver took a seat at Felicity's table, he began reading over the files that Felicity had laid out for him.

"What do they mean?" Felicity asked as she arranged the flowers in a vase. She placed it by the window and took a seat beside Oliver.

"What?" he asked, looking up in surprise.

"The flowers," Felicity elaborated. "Daffodils, right? What do they mean? The first flowers you gave me, the morning after the Dodger case, daisies, they can represent innocence. Which made sense because it was after my first big case with you, I lost my innocence in a way.

"The second time, it was Heather flowers, which represent protection. You gave me those after your psycho ex attacked me in my office. And your note said that maybe they would help.

"The third time, was Hydrangeas, for gratitude. That was after Digg and I brought you back from Lian Yu and I became your EA.

"Then, the last time was Snapdragons. An odd choice but, they sometimes are seen as a representation of strength. You left those in my kitchen the morning after I was shot.

"The flowers always seem to have some meaning," Felicity observed. "So, what do Daffodils represent?"

Oliver cleared his throat awkwardly, he looked away, avoiding eye contact. "No idea," he finally claimed. "They just reminded me of you."

Felicity narrowed her eyes, not entirely believing what Oliver was saying.

"So, what were you saying about finances?" Oliver asked, changing the subject.

Felicity shook her head, she turned her attention back to the pages that were spread across her kitchen table. She still wanted to know the meaning behind the flowers. But, she knew better than to try to force an answer out of Oliver. So, instead she set to work on helping Oliver with the files.

It wasn't until a few hours later, after Oliver had left and Felicity was in bed fiddling with her tablet, that she decided to look up the meaning of the flowers. Most of the websites had the same generic information. But there was one that caught her eye, it read:

 _Daffodil: Regard; Unrequited love; You're the Only One;_

 _The Sun is Always Shining When I'm with You_

Felicity stared at the words until they blurred on the screen. She shook her head, forcing the thoughts out of her mind. It couldn't be that. Yes, Oliver had claimed that he loved her, but that had been a ploy to trap Slade. He didn't… He couldn't…

No, she told herself.

But as she drifted off to sleep, she couldn't help but think, if only it were true.


End file.
